Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist (and occasional actor) Flea has one of the most unusual residences in all of Los Angeles, a heptagonal marvel designed by architect Michael Maltzan, almost 50 years after the property's original home was completed in 1954. Much like Flea himself, the home is difficult to describe and pretty much has to be seen in order to be reckoned with. But that kind of novelty value doesn't always translate to immediate sales on the real estate market, and after first listing it the 5.4-acre property in February of last year for $9.8 million, he's only recently slashed the asking price by a million bucks.
Flea purchased the compound, located in the La Crescenta neighborhood outside LA proper, in 2018 for $4.5 million, but that price doesn't include the 875-foot addition the property's listing says was completed by Maltzan in 2021. As for that original 1954 home, it was the work of architect Richard Neutra for his secretary at the time, Dorothy Serulnic, and her husband George. Here's how the Dorothy Serulnic Residence, now a guest house on the compound, is described in the listing:
"The 1,350 sq ft floor plan features 2 bedrooms, one bath, walls of glass, a bear valley stone fireplace and a plethora of Neutra designed built-ins, including a sofa system with record player and concealed speakers, multiple desks, shelving systems, dining room table, sliding breakfast nook and vanity."
But it's the main house that's the real attention-getter here, thanks to Maltzan's unique 7-sided design enclosing an interior courtyard – think the Pentagon but with two extra sides and a lot more style. The five-bedroom, five-bath main house is designed for nature lovers in harmony with the surrounding environment, with "breathtaking mountain and city skyline views" on all sides. Also outside are features like the 50-foot Johnson Vidal lap pool and an outdoor movie pavilion complete with windscreen and catering kitchen. Rounding things out on the compound is a small cabin designed by artist Peter Staley.
Flea might not be having an easy time finding a buyer for this one-of-a-kind Los Angeles compound, but it's a beauty to look at, especially for anyone interested in architectural design. Take a look in the video below from Architectural Digest:
